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to repeat that vile litany every day。 〃I will do as I am told；〃 she said at last； in a flat voice。 She was the Amyrlin Seat！ 〃I will speak the words you tell me to speak； and no more。〃 Her Foretelling ordained her triumph； but； oh； Light； let it e soon！ 〃I will sign what you tell me to sign； and nothing else。 I am。。。 〃 She choked over the last。 〃I am obedient to your will。〃
〃You sound as if you need to be reminded of the truth of that；〃 Alviarin said with another sigh。 〃I suppose I've left you alone too long。〃 She tapped the parchment with a peremptory finger。 〃Sign。〃
Elaida signed； dragging the pen across the parchment。 There was nothing else she could do。
Alviarin barely waited for the pen's nib to lift before snatching up the decree。 〃I will seal this myself；〃 she said； heading for the door。 〃I shouldn't have left the Amyrlin's seal where you could find it。 I want to talk to you later。 I have left you to yourself too long。 Be here when I return。〃
〃Later？〃 Elaida said。 〃When？ Alviarin？ Alviarin？〃
The door closed behind the woman； leaving Elaida to fume。 Be there when Alviarin returned！ Confined to her quarters like a novice in the punishment cells！
For a time she fingered her correspondence box； with its golden hawks fighting among white clouds in a blue sky； yet she could not make herself open it。 With Alviarin gone； that box had begun once more to hold letters and reports of importance； not just the table scraps Alviarin let fall to her； yet with the woman's return； it might as well have been empty。 Rising； she began rearranging the roses in their white vases； each atop a white marble plinth in a corner of the room。 Blue roses； the most rare。
Abruptly she realized that she was staring at a broken rose stem in her hands； snapped in two。 Half a dozen more littered the floor tiles。 She made a vexed sound in her throat。 She had been thinking of her hands around Alviarin's throat。 It was not the first time she had considered killing the woman。 But Alviarin would have taken precautions。 Sealed documents； to be opened should anything untoward happen； had no doubt been left with the last sisters Elaida would suspect。 That had been her one real worry during Alviarin's absence； that someone else might think the woman dead； and e forward with the evidence that would drag the stole from her shoulders。 Sooner or later； though； one way or another； Alviarin was finished； as surely as those roses were …
〃You didn't answer my knock； Mother； so I came on in；〃 a woman said gruffly behind her。
Elaida turned； ready to flay with her tongue； but at the sight of the stocky； square…faced woman in a red…fringed shawl standing just inside the room； the blood drained from her own cheeks。
〃The Keeper said you wanted to speak me；〃 Silviana said irritably。 〃About a private penance。〃 Even to the Amyrlin Seat； she made no effort to hide her disgust。 Silviana believed private penance a ridiculous affectation。 Penance was public； only punishment took place in private。 〃She also asked me to remind you of something； but she rushed off before saying what。〃 She finished with a snort。 Silviana saw anything that took time away from her novices and Accepted as needless interruption。
〃I think I remember；〃 Elaida told her dully。
When Silviana finally left … after only half an hour by the chimes of Cemaile's clock； yet an endless eternity … all that kept Elaida from calling the Hall to sit immediately so she could demand Alviarin be stripped of the Keeper's stole were the certainty of her Foretelling and the certainty that Seaine would trace that trail of treason back to Alviarin。 That； and the sure fact that whether or not Alviarin fell in the confrontation； she herself definitely would。 So； Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan； Watcher of the Seals； the Flame of Tar Valon； the Amyrlin Seat； surely the most powerful ruler in the world； lay facedown on her bed and blubbered into her pillows； too tender to don the shift that lay discarded on the floor； certain that when Alviarin returned； the woman would insist on her sitting through the entire interview。 She blubbered； and through her tears she prayed for Alviarin's downfall to e soon。
〃I did not tell you to have Elaida。。。 beaten；〃 that voice of crystal chimes said。 〃Do you rise above yourself？〃
Alviarin flung herself from her knees onto her belly before the woman who seemed made of dark shadows and silvery light。 Seizing the hem of Mesaana's dress； she rained kisses on it。 The weave of Illusion … it must be that； though she could not see a single thread of saidar any more than she could sense the ability to channel in the woman who stood over her … did not hold pletely； with her frantically shifting the skirt's edge。 Flickers of bronze silk with a thin border of intricately embroidered black scrollwork showed through。
〃I live to serve and obey you； Great Mistress；〃 Alviarin panted between kisses。 〃I know that I am among the lowest of the low； a worm in your presence； and I pray only for your smile。〃 She had been punished once for 〃rising above herself〃 … not for disobedience； thanks be to the Great Lord of the Dark！ … and she knew that whatever howls Elaida might be raising right then； they could not be half so loud as her own had been。
Mesaana let the kissing go on for some time； and finally signaled an end by tipping Alviarin's face up with the toe of a slipper beneath the chin。 〃The decree has gone out。〃 It was not a question； but Alviarin answered hastily。
〃Yes； Great Mistress。 Copies went to Northharbor and Southharbor even before I had Elaida sign。 The first couriers have gone； and no merchant will leave the city without copies to distribute。〃 Mesaana knew all that； of course。 She knew everything。 A cramp tightened the back of Alviarin's awkwardly craned neck； but she did not move。 Mesaana would tell her when to move。 〃Great Mistress； Elaida is an empty husk。 With all humility； would it not be better without the need to use her？〃 She held her breath。 Questions could be dangerous； with the Chosen。
A shadow…nailed silvery finger tapped silver lips pursed in an amused smile。 〃Better if you wore the Amyrlin's stole； child？〃 Mesaana said at last。 〃An ambition small enough to fit you； but all in its time。 For now； I have a tiny task for you。 In spite of all the walls that have gone up between the Ajahs； the heads of the Ajahs seem to encounter one another with surprising frequency。 By chance； they make it seem。 All but the Red； at least； a pity Galina got herself killed； or she could tell you what they are about。 Very probably it is trivial； but you will learn why they bare teeth at one another in public； then whisper together in private。〃
〃I hear and obey； Great Mistress；〃 Alviarin replied promptly； grateful that Mesaana considered it unimportant。 The great 〃secret〃 of who headed the Ajahs was none to her … every Black sister was required to relay to the Supreme Council every whisper inside her supposed Ajah … but only Galina among them had been Black。 That meant querying the Black sisters among the Sitters； which meant going through all the layers between them and her。 That would take time； and without any certainty of success。 Except for Ferane Neheran and Suana Dragand； who were the heads of the their Ajahs； Sitters rarely seemed to know what their Ajah's head was thinking until they were told。 〃I will tell you as soon as I learn； Great Mistress。〃
But she did file away a tidbit for herself。 Trivial matter or not； Mesaana did not know everything that happened in the White Tower。 And Alviarin would keep her eyes open for a sister in bronze skirts bordered on the hem in black scrollwork。 Mesaana was hiding herself in the Tower； and knowledge was power。
Chapter 26
（Dragon's Fang）
The Extra Bit
Seaine strode the hallways of the Tower with a growing sense of being confounded at every turn。 The White Tower was quite large； true； but she had been at this for hours。 She very much wanted to be snug in her own rooms。 Despite casements in place in every window； drafts drifted along the broad； tapestry…hung corridors and made the stand…lamps flicker。 Cold drafts； and difficult to ignore when they slipped under her skirts。 Her rooms were warm and fortable； and safe。
Maids bobbed curtsies and manservants bowed in her wake； half…seen and pletely ignored。 Most sisters were in their own Ajahs' quarters； and those few out and about moved with wary pride； often in pairs； always of the same Ajah； shawls spread along their arms and displayed like banners。 She smiled and nodded pleasantly to Talene； but the statuesque； golden…haired Sitter returned a hard stare； beauty carved from ice； then stalked away twitching her green…fringed shawl。
Too late now to approach Talene about being part of the search； even had Pevara been agreeable。 Pevara counseled caution； then more caution； and truth to tell； Seaine was more than willing to listen under the circumstances。 It was just that Talene was a friend。 Had been a friend。
Talene was not the worst。 Several ordinary sisters sniffed at her openly。 At a Sitter！ None White； of course； but t